I changed the title of the blog from "Relationships are the key to success, spiritually or materially", because I didn't say what I originally intended. That happens often when I write. Certainly who we "associate" with is a person we have a relationship with. Yet in this blog I have focused on the general principle of the importance of the company we keep. In another blog I will focus more on HOW we relate to each other.
It is said that, "A person is known by the company they keep". That is...
Tue, 11/27/2007 - 09:29 — NityānandaChandra
Govardhana Puja is one of my favorite holidays especially here in Dallas. Every year my wife and I, with the help of the youth from ISKCON Dallas, have the opportunity of organizing and building of Govardhana Hill. A lot of preparation is put into creating this festival. We make a six foot replica of Govardhana Hill out of cake and because of this there is a need to make a mold of the hill so that the cake can be layered on top. Caitanya Candra Prabhu...
I was requested to write about holy month of Kartik even though we are fast approach its' end ( on the 23rd of November--Vedic months begin on the full moon). According to Shri Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita [10.35] next month represents Krishna (masanam marga-shirsha: Of months I am margashirsha [Nov-Dec.]). The present month of Kartika represents Shri Radha, who is Krishna's sakti or his expansion as his greatest devotee. Her month precedes his.
First Radha, then Krishna. Therefore we say "Radha-...
I am an advocate for studying Prabhupada's books and other works by our Gaudiya acharyas (exemplary teachers) as part of our program for understanding our tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. As important as scriptural knowledge is, just to be able to quote verses doesn't mean you really, practically understand them. Wisdom (vijnana) or realized knowledge is more important than just book knowledge (jnana). [see Shrila Prabhupada's purport to his Bhagavad-gita as it is, 6.8]
Wisdom comes from the...
Tuesday the 13th of November is Shrila Prabhupada's disappearance day from this mortal world and his return to the Nitya-lila (Krishna's eternal pastimes). It is the 30th anniversary. Wow---that is over half my life!! How things have changed for me, in the lives of so many devotees present then, and in the Movement.
I was a young man of 27 years, and now I am 57. I became a devotee at 19 1/2, so really I had about 6 1/2 years of him being physically present. During those years most of us...
I was hoping to post something this morning, which here in America is Govardhana Puja day. It obviously didn't happen. Even though there are some articles on the front page about this day, I was inspired to share a few personal things with you about my day in preparation for this joyful and uplifting festival.
I had to sleep in a bit because I haven't taken my quota for the last few days, and it was wearing on me. As much as sleep is ignorance we still need it to stay healthy and in good...
Last night practically all the residents of Prabhupada village came together to celebrate the life and passing of our friend and former community member, Nirguna Krishna Prabhu. We joined together at the straw bale house that he built for an evening of singing, shared remembrances, and incredible prasad (spiritual food).
What a contrast to some religious or cultural traditions where everyone is in black, the women veiled, speaking in hushed tones, somber, in the mood of mourning, where to...
Our friend and Godbrother passed away (left his body) on Saturday in Sridhama Mayapur, India. He was a member of the community where I live for many years, building a house here, preaching, and helping out in so many ways. We are having a "celebration" in his honor tonight at 6:30 PM.
We could call it many things: a memorial service or something like that, yet it is really a celebration, especially since the way he left the world was so auspicious. He left during the holy month of Kartik, on an...
The subject for today's blog came out from a letter to the Editor of Back to Godhead in the current issue (Nov/Dec). The letter was by a Godbrother and friend of mine, which made a distinction given by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, between "duties of the world" that are connected with Bhakti, and "direct" Bhakti which is generally thought of as the 9 processes of devotional service. (Actually from one perspective, "direct devotional service" is only in the Lila of Krishna and Mahaprabhu,...
(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed)
In the Gita's 7th chapter Shri Krishna tells us that four kinds of pious people approach him to render service: the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of he Absolute. And once we have come to Krishna, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur describes four levels or motivations for service: fear, prospect, duty, and love. One point in these two types of analysis is that there...
5 years 24 weeks agoI changed the title of the blog from "Relationships are the key to success, spiritually or materially", because I didn't say what I originally intended. That happens often when I write. Certainly who we "associate" with is a person we have a relationship with. Yet in this blog I have focused on the general principle of the importance of the company we keep. In another blog I will focus more on HOW we relate to each other. It is said that, "A person is known by the company they keep". That is...0 Comment(s)282 Reads
5 years 24 weeks agoTue, 11/27/2007 - 09:29 — NityānandaChandra Govardhana Puja is one of my favorite holidays especially here in Dallas. Every year my wife and I, with the help of the youth from ISKCON Dallas, have the opportunity of organizing and building of Govardhana Hill. A lot of preparation is put into creating this festival. We make a six foot replica of Govardhana Hill out of cake and because of this there is a need to make a mold of the hill so that the cake can be layered on top. Caitanya Candra Prabhu...0 Comment(s)359 Reads